You’re trying to read an article on your iPad, but every time you shift your hands, the screen rotates. So frustrating! If you’re tired of trying to tame your screen, you can quickly lock it in its current orientation using the Control Center or the Side Switch, depending on how your settings are.

Steps

Method1

Setting Your Side Switch

Depending on how your settings are, the side switch will either mute your iPad or lock the orientation. When you swipe up to the control center, you will have the other option. These steps assume you want to use the side switch for lock and control center for muting, although they could be used if you would rather have it vice versa.

1

Open the Settings app. You can assign the switch on the side of your iPad to either Mute or Lock Rotation. When one option is selected, the other becomes available in the Control Center.

For example, if the Side Switch is set to Lock Rotation, you will see a Mute button in the Control Center instead of the Lock Rotation button. If the Side Switch is set to Mute, the Lock Rotation button will appear in the Control Center.

2

Tap General. This will allow you to change the Side Switch's function.

3

Look for the "Use Side Switch To" section. Set it to "Lock Rotation".

Method2

Using the Control Center

1

Rotate your iPad to the orientation you want. Once you lock your iPad, it won't turn when you rotate the screen, so rotate it first to orient the screen how you'd like.

2

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the iPad’s Control Center. This allows you to quickly adjust the settings for your iPad.

3

Tap the Lock Rotation button. This will toggle the Orientation Lock, which will prevent your iPad’s screen from rotating. The button will turn white when it is toggled “On”.

If you see a Mute button instead of the Lock Rotation button, click here.

4

Swipe down anywhere on the screen to close the Control Center. If you want to enable the screen rotation again, open the Control Panel and toggle the button.

Method3

Using the Side Switch

1

Toggle the switch to lock the screen orientation. When the switch is showing yellow, then the screen will be locked. You will also see an indicator on the screen when you lock and unlock rotation with the switch.